Hide-and-Go-Seek

I've finished another 101 List item (with the help of The Boy and our good friends, J and S): Hiding a geocache.

I've written before about geocaching, so I won't expound on the sport here. But I will give you a quick how-to on hiding a cache (aka burying treasure to be found) based upon our experiences.

First: get a container for your cache. You can purchase these through the geocaching main website or you can use your own. The Boy had received a neat spice-themed birthday basket last year. After we enjoyed the Tabasco chocolates, I realized the tin made for a perfect caching container.

Second, fill the container. Every cache should include:

• A cache note - This note provides information on what a geocache is for any non-geocachers that might stumble across the cache.
• A log - This allows people who locate the cache to record their find. It's smart to put the log in a waterproof plastic sack to help preserve it from the elements. Moisture can seep in from anywhere.

Optional items include:

• Trackables - Small items with identifying codes that move from cache to cache. They usually have some sort of "mission," assigned by their owners. We included a trackable in our geocache. The trackable dogtag was a gift from our friends, J and S. We assigned it a mission of travelling to the various countries that we have visited.
• Prizes - It's nice to slip a little something as a prize for the "FTF" (First To Find). We included a small gift certificate to a restaurant in the North Texas region.

Third, hide your cache. It's important to check and double check your GPS readings to make sure the coordinates you post are as accurate as possible. Even then, your GPS might not read correctly (like ours). Such is life.

Fourth, fill out an online form to register your cache. This is a fast and easy process of providing all relevant information and clues to list your cache on the geocaching website. Before your cache lists, a reviewer will go over all of the details and either suggest edits or publish your listing.

Fifth, cheer when you see that your cache posts! Cheer even more when someone finds your cache! Feel sad when you hear that your coordinates, despite your best efforts to ensure accuracy, are not as accurate as you'd like.

Sixth, start planning where you'll hide your next cache...

Anyone up for finding the Hayley's first geocache, Sweet and Spicy?